Un-Fixable Steering Angle After Accident?

JCG · Oct 10, 2017

I have a 2016 R and was t-boned last on passenger side last winter.

The car was repaired but I have never been able to get the steering wheel straight like it was when i got it.

It is like 1-2% off and always pulling left. The one dealer did not even see what i was talking about.

I have been back to the collision center 2x and for 3x alignments at 2 different dealers.

Dealers are unable to get the wheel straight as it should be.

They tell me the R steeling wheel is not "knotched" so they cannot adjust it like other vehicles, and this is as good as it will get.

Pic - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B07xQZYDg_pnWG1fVFBiN2l1R0k/view

The steering wheel is only off a little, but this is very noticeable when diving on flat roads.

What else can i do? Shouldn't they have some fix? Or do you have any recommendations?

NCM · Oct 10, 2017

That would drive me nuts.

A steering wheel isn't normally trued up by moving it on its mounting splines, at least not unless it's off by 10 degrees or something ridiculous like that. Instead the tie rods — the threaded rods that link the steering rack ends to the kingpins on each side of the car — are adjusted for length while the steering in wheel is clamped in the straight ahead position. This is an iterative process, since the same adjusters are also used to set the front toe value which needs to be correct.

Computer aided alignment systems use a different process to get there, but the adjustment is still made to the tie rods.

I have at times made my own tie rod adjustments to get the steering wheel centered without going for another alignment. To do this you adjust each side by the same amount, but in opposite directions, for instance plus a quarter turn of the adjuster on one side and minus a quarter on the other. This shifts the steering angle either way without affecting the toe setting. Then you go drive the car and re-adjust until you get it right.

Given the accident there are other possibilities in your case. The rear axle line may not be quite parallel to the front, in which case a perfectly executed front alignment may still result in the car not tracking true. If that's the problem it may be difficult to arrive at a satisfactory setting.

If this isn't something you're in a position to tackle yourself then I would go to a regular mechanic, explain the problem, and have them make the small tie rod adjustments as described above. You'll need to be there to test drive the car between adjustments. It's pretty quick to do this in a shop with a lift, and the adjusters can easily be set visually in one-eighth turn increments with an open-end wrench. This likely won't take much over an hour of shop time. Any mechanic will understand what you're trying to do.

Neil

PS: It would be useful to see the alignment print-out of what the last shop ended up with.

ecsta · Oct 10, 2017

JCG said:
I have a 2016 R and was t-boned last on passenger side last winter.

The car was repaired but I have never been able to get the steering wheel straight like it was when i got it.

It is like 1-2% off and always pulling left. The one dealer did not even see what i was talking about.

I have been back to the collision center 2x and for 3x alignments at 2 different dealers.

Dealers are unable to get the wheel straight as it should be.

They tell me the R steeling wheel is not "knotched" so they cannot adjust it like other vehicles, and this is as good as it will get.

Pic - https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B07xQZYDg_pnWG1fVFBiN2l1R0k/view

The steering wheel is only off a little, but this is very noticeable when diving on flat roads.

What else can i do? Shouldn't they have some fix? Or do you have any recommendations?

To the naked eye that looks crooked IMO, if they can't see that i don't know what to tell them haha.

Looks like it's one "notch" off (i am not a mechanic and have no idea if that's how it's adjusted):

Also check out this video where a guy took off and reinstalled his steering wheel crooked (more exaggerated than yours): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkYO729io0o

I would keep taking it back until it's fixed to your liking, that's what you pay insurance for, let them keep paying to have it fixed until it's done 100% properly.

TheWombat · Oct 10, 2017

Pretty much every single car I have every owned has had something like this. Even when the actual alignment is spot-on, the steering wheel seems to be just a hair to one side or the other, if you try to align it perfectly using whatever thingy is in the center or whatever metric you are looking at.

Used to bug me a lot but I realized that in most cases it's not connected to actual alignment, and the times I've tried to get dealers to fix it resulted, without fail, in a metaphorical shrugging of their shoulders and little more.

JCG · Oct 10, 2017

thanks for feedback guys

super helpful.

The collision center probably messed with a bunch of stuff, so i really have no idea what was done/adjusted (i dont think they like me.. as i have went back a few times)

And looks like that the steering wheel pic you sent has notches, so the dealers were lieing to me too..

You recommend just a regular mechanic over VW dealer for the fix?

(any other feedback still appreciated, this has been 9mth ordeal - i own my car so i cant dump it easily after lease)

PLF8593 · Oct 10, 2017

Happened to me too with my previous GTI. I got rid of the car because, when suspension/steering is involved in an accident, it'll never be the same again. You have to get super lucky for things to go back to the way they were before the acccident. You might be SOL. routing for you

veedubfreak · Oct 10, 2017

I got tboned a while back and it required replacing the driver side suspension. Mine is true and straight. I'd be taking this up with your insurance.

SRoads · Oct 10, 2017

This is nothing more than LAY-ZI-NESS by the alignment techs. The correct way to get it fixed is all in the adjustment of the tie rod ends on both sides of the steering rack, not just one side (as they probably did). The lazy way to remove the steering wheel and move it a tooth. AND super lazy way (which they are doing) is giving you the run around hoping you will give up. Remember to check the centering of the wheel is done on an level uncrowned road, hands off, not accelerating. When any alignment is done, make them give you a printout of before and after. You or Your insurance paid them for the work done right not half ass-ed.

-Dutch- · Oct 10, 2017

GolfWang said:
Happened to me too with my previous GTI. I got rid of the car because, when suspension/steering is involved in an accident, it'll never be the same again. You have to get super lucky for things to go back to the way they were before the acccident. You might be SOL. routing for you

Sorry that was your experience but if that's the case, sounds like the insurance company needed to pay a bit more or a tech screwed up. Your car should have been returned to pre-accident condition.

PLF8593 · Oct 10, 2017

-Dutch- said:
Sorry that was your experience but if that's the case, sounds like the insurance company needed to pay a bit more or a tech screwed up. Your car should have been returned to pre-accident condition.

i agree. and i even took it to a place for repairs that was suggested by a few guys in the North Jersey area who'd had their cars fixed after an accident where the suspension/steering was involved in the repairs, and they all said this place did fantastic work. It was fine for the first few months... then it just started loosening up. got multiple alignments, had the driver side ball joint replaced, switched wheel and tire setups... nada

-Dutch- · Oct 10, 2017

That's jacked up. Sorry man.

PLF8593 · Oct 10, 2017

-Dutch- said:
That's jacked up. Sorry man.

Car was a lease anyway lol, and I honestly don't mind my new one (even though I made the mistake of getting another 2015 model). Got a DSG, my first non-manual GTI (my 3rd GTI), and went back to blue, my favorite color. Also went back to cloth seats, which i like more than leather.

Also I got a screamin deal (2015 w/ 17K miles for 17K w/ CPO warranty + clean carfax/no history of repairs of any sort)

ARMOG · Oct 10, 2017

Have you done the steering angle sensor calibration after the accident? this must be done after every alignment so the wheel can find center.

GTI Jake · Oct 10, 2017

First off if you got T boned in surprised they didn't total it.

Second, this is pure laziness as others have explained. No excuse for the wheel not being straight after an alignment

breaking badly · Oct 11, 2017

NCM said:
A steering wheel isn't normally trued up by moving it on its mounting splines, at least not unless it's off by 10 degrees or something ridiculous like that. Instead the tie rods — the threaded rods that link the steering rack ends to the kingpins on each side of the car — are adjusted for length while the steering in wheel is clamped in the straight ahead position. This is an iterative process, since the same adjusters are also used to set the front toe value which needs to be correct.

Computer aided alignment systems use a different process to get there, but the adjustment is still made to the tie rods.

I have at times made my own tie rod adjustments to get the steering wheel centered without going for another alignment. To do this you adjust each side by the same amount, but in opposite directions, for instance plus a quarter turn of the adjuster on one side and minus a quarter on the other. This shifts the steering angle either way without affecting the toe setting. Then you go drive the car and re-adjust until you get it right.

Given the accident there are other possibilities in your case. The rear axle line may not be quite parallel to the front, in which case a perfectly executed front alignment may still result in the car not tracking true. If that's the problem it may be difficult to arrive at a satisfactory setting.

If this isn't something you're in a position to tackle yourself then I would go to a regular mechanic, explain the problem, and have them make the small tie rod adjustments as described above. You'll need to be there to test drive the car between adjustments. It's pretty quick to do this in a shop with a lift, and the adjusters can easily be set visually in one-eighth turn increments with an open-end wrench. This likely won't take much over an hour of shop time. Any mechanic will understand what you're trying to do.

Neil

PS: It would be useful to see the alignment print-out of what the last shop ended up with.

^^ this !!
I'll add that before performing the actual alignment you'd want to inspect
both suspension and tires visually. For example unevenly worn tires will led
to a crooked steering wheel, and torn bushings will make a proper alignment
virtually impossible, as it won't stay consistent. Broken or bad springs or
poorly adjusted coilovers on the other side, will probably led to uneven
corner weights, which as a consequence will led to a crooked wheel no
matter how perfect the alignment looks on paper.
However, let's see the alignment print-out. It's just guessing without it.
Ideally provide ANY data regarding your car (mls), suspension and tires.

ecsta said:
To the naked eye that looks crooked IMO, if they can't see that i don't know what to tell them haha.

Looks like it's one "notch" off (i am not a mechanic and have no idea if that's how it's adjusted):

That's the wrong way! Steering wheel angle is adjusted using the tie rods!!

.

Un-Fixable Steering Angle After Accident?

JCG

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